Jesse L. James, Wisconsin State Senator for 23rd District | Official Facebook
Jesse L. James, Wisconsin State Senator for 23rd District | Official Facebook
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "requiring child sexual abuse prevention education. (FE)".
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, the bill mandates that starting in the 2026-27 school year, all school boards provide a child sexual abuse prevention instructional program for students from four-year-old kindergarten through 12th grade. This program must include developmentally appropriate lessons covering topics such as age-appropriate facts about sexual abuse, anatomically correct terms for body parts, setting personal boundaries, understanding consent, and identifying trustworthy adults. Schools must annually inform parents about the program's schedule, provide an opt-out option, and supply them with clear information on various abuse-related topics and prevention strategies. Parents may exempt their child from participation by submitting a written request to the child's teacher or principal.
The bill was co-authored by Representative Rick Gundrum (Republican-58th District), Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevara (Republican-19th District), Senator Mark Spreitzer (Democrat-15th District), Senator Van H. Wanggaard (Republican-21st District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District), and Representative Bob G. Donovan (Republican-61st District), along seven other co-sponsors.
Jesse L. James has authored or co-authored another 42 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
James graduated from Chippewa Valley Technical College in 2001.
James, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2023 to represent the state's 23rd Senate district, replacing previous state senator Kathy Bernier.
In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| SB171 | 04/03/2025 | Requiring child sexual abuse prevention education. (FE) |
| SB163 | 03/27/2025 | Income change notifications for child support or maintenance orders |
| SB140 | 03/21/2025 | Provisional social worker certificates and licenses |
| SB132 | 03/14/2025 | Classification of the crime of impersonating law enforcement officers, fire fighters, and certain other emergency personnel and providing a penalty |
| SB119 | 03/07/2025 | Positions for the Office of School Safety. (FE) |
| SB113 | 03/07/2025 | A transition to grazing pilot program and making an appropriation. (FE) |
| SB83 | 02/26/2025 | Utilization management controls for antipsychotic prescription drugs under the Medical Assistance program. (FE) |
| SB75 | 02/26/2025 | Venue for actions in which there is a governmental party |
| SB73 | 02/26/2025 | Prosecuting or adjudicating delinquent a person under the age of 18 for committing an act of prostitution |
| SB72 | 02/26/2025 | Creating an individual income tax deduction for certain income earned by an individual from the practice of psychiatry or from providing psychiatric or mental health services. (FE) |
| SB62 | 02/21/2025 | Financing the operating costs and certain out-of-state projects of nonprofit institutions and compensation of employees of the Wisconsin Health and Educational Facilities Authority. (FE) |
| SB42 | 02/12/2025 | Permitting pharmacists to prescribe certain contraceptives, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty. (FE) |
| SB41 | 02/12/2025 | School safety grants and making an appropriation. (FE) |
| SB39 | 02/12/2025 | Establishment of a Palliative Care Council. (FE) |
| SB23 | 02/05/2025 | Extension of eligibility under the Medical Assistance program for postpartum women. (FE) |
| SB21 | 02/05/2025 | Creating an employee ownership conversion costs tax credit, a deduction for capital gains from the transfer of a business to employee ownership, and an employee ownership education and outreach program. (FE) |
| SB17 | 02/05/2025 | Special circumstances battery to a community service officer and providing a penalty |
Alerts Sign-up